Why Putin’s big parade will be a damp squib
The Story
The Times
3.9 • 1.6K Ratings
🗓️ 8 May 2026
⏱️ 29 minutes
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Summary
In Moscow, preparations are complete for tomorrow’s Victory Day celebrations. This year’s military parade will be pared back amid fears of Ukrainian drone strikes. So as the country marks its biggest celebration in muted style, five years into a grinding war, how are Russians feeling about their government and the economy? And what’s been the true impact of the war in Iran?
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Guest: Alexander Gabuev, director, Carnegie Russia Eurasia Centre.
Host: Rosie Wright.
Producer: Callum Martin.
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Read more: No tanks or missiles at Russia’s scaled-back Victory Day parade
Further listening: The descent into madness under Putin
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | From The Times and the Sunday Times, this is the story. I'm Rosie Wright. |
| 0:06.4 | It's the 9th of May in 2016, and in Moscow, Russia's Victory Day celebrations are in full swing. |
| 0:28.6 | The annual parade marking Russian victory in the Second World War is as much a celebration as it is a demonstration of military might. Warplanes fly overhead, tanks and missiles |
| 0:41.4 | roll through the streets, and in Red Square, Vladimir Putin gives his address to the thousands of troops |
| 0:47.8 | lined up before him. |
| 0:53.7 | May the 9th is both a national and very personal and a very personal family holiday. |
| 1:00.0 | It became a symbol of the sacred kinship of Russia. |
| 1:04.0 | In unity, in devotion to the motherland, our strength, confidence and dignity. |
| 1:14.8 | Happy holiday. Happy great victory day. |
| 1:18.6 | Hurrah! |
| 1:20.0 | Ura! |
| 1:23.5 | Ten years on, the Russians are once again making their preparations ahead of tomorrow's parade. |
| 1:34.5 | But this time around, celebrations will be a little more muted. |
| 1:38.6 | Russia's Victory Day parade, this May 9th will look rather different. |
| 1:42.6 | There'll be no tanks or missiles. |
| 1:44.6 | In fact, there'll be no military equipment whatsoever on Moscow's Red Square. |
| 1:49.4 | The Kremlin cited the current operational situation |
| 1:52.2 | and blamed what it called a terrorist threat from Ukraine. |
| 1:59.4 | So as Russia marks its biggest celebration with a whimper rather than a bang, |
| 2:04.9 | what's the mood like on the ground? |
| 2:06.8 | Five years into the war in Ukraine, how are people feeling about their government and the economy? |
| 2:12.1 | And what's been the true impact on Russia of the war in Iran? |
... |
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